jakedamuss

Hi
I have a sister who lives in US she is a citizen there my question
is what is the waiting period for the geen card as i am from the UK
i have heard it takes forever.

BritishGuy36

Firstly, you don't apply for a 'green card'. You apply for an immigrant visa. The fact that you don't know this means you need to do more reading on the subject.

Secondly, the waiting time for an immigrant visa for the sibling of a US Citizen appears to be in excess of ten years.

Thirdly, questions like this are better off being posted in the US Immigration and Visas section.

meauxna

Look up your priority date here and you can see what is *currently* being processed: http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bu...etin_4558.html

BritishGuy36

Ok so 8.5 years. A long time to wait....

meauxna

ah, but only if their number is up today; your first quote could be much closer to the truth!

There's someone in the MB group that you could maybe help btw, something about using assets from the UK for I-864.

paula b1

My sister sponsered me and I got my visa in may this year after an 11 year wait However I am now living in California been here 5 weeks

caleyjag

Awesome! What part?

paula b1

Placerville, about an hour down from Tahoe... loving it so far

bjkloosterboer

That's bril! I was waiting about 11 years too. When I got my priority date they were processing people from 10 years earlier. My interview is on 8th September!
I have a question - when you go for the interview, is the packet you get with your original documentation the packet that you have to take unopened into the US or is that a different packet? And does that then mean that as soon as you get your passport back in the post then you can be off and away?
thanks,
Barb

meauxna

The original application documents (evidence) are returned to you at the interview, but you also get a "Mysterious Brown Envelope" (google it) that has your entire case file/application in it. That is returned after the interview, with your passport. DO NOT OPEN.
As soon as your passport is returned to you, with the visa in it, you're free to go.

This article explains in more depth (ignore the 'marriage' focus.. same process for you): Arriving In America: Navigating the POE

paula b1

Yes that is what happened. I got 3 envelopes ( there were 3 of us applying ) these have to be handed in when you arrive at immigration. You are also given your chest xray, these are to be put in your check in case. My passport arrived within 5 days with visa attached. then once in the USA the green cards and social security numbers arrived within 3 weeks !! good luck with the interview. Where are you heading ?

Folinskyinla

Hi:

Now I want a Hangtown Fry for breakfast! Did you notice the gold ore tailing next to I-80 between Sacramento and Placerville? Kind of like the China Clay mountains and pits in Cornwall IMHO.

bjkloosterboer

Thanks for that info
So does that mean the 'mysterious brown envelope' actually comes in the same package as your passport i.e. you get it on the same day through the post? Just making sure - Had wanted to book the flights the day after the interview to go within two weeks of the interview date i.e. before we actually get the passports back (so then the children are only missing 1.5 weeks of school over here - and a lot more over there). Am keeping the children out of school for the beginning of term (with permission) so need to go ASAP and rather earlier really but I can't jump the gun of course.

bjkloosterboer

We're not quite sure where we're going yet. My sister lives in St George, Utah so we will go there for a few weeks first if we can't find a job for my husband first. We are thinking of going to Colorado (St George too hot), but I really liked the 'feel ' of it in LA when we visited friends there a couple of years ago. We also have a friend in Denver (Castle Rock) who wants us to go live with her so at least we have a couple of places to go and won't need to live in a motel, thank goodness.

Noorah101

Yes, all those things come together in the same delivery via courier (not post). Supposedly you will get all that back within 5 days of your visa interview, but there are no guarantees...sometimes delivery can be delayed. Best bet is not to book any flights until you actually have your visa in hand.

Rene